AtlFamilyof4

Two words. Duct Tape !! For the kids, not for the door !! Couldn't help it.

yes!!! good idea ;)

Lesson of the day? Don't come here expecting people to answer your questions... Expect, though, that you will be berated for not knowing all the rules and for not being the expert that many of the people on the board seem to be...

 

I don't know the answer to the original question, so I won't take a guess or berate you... Just wish you a fun trip with the kids!

Apparently so... :(

I think I did get the question answered, but thanks for your input and well wishes:) I think the kids will love it!

Yeah, okay....

 

Sometimes you have to apply a little bit of logic before you ask a question. Logic dictates that there is no way that people boarding with toddlers/small children get preferential treatment if you just think it through for a second since there are cruises (summer and holidays) where kids outnumber adults onboard. There were a couple of posters who answered tongue in cheek, but this was pretty tame.

Sometimes written words don't come across the same as verbally, but I was simply posting to see what others thought or had heard or had experienced... I didn't expect for someone to think I wouldn't have enough sense to "think it through for a second" or think my children deserve preferential treatment for whatever reason. I completely understand higher class/suites and the handicap, but I had never heard of what I was told about the children, hence my reasoning for asking. Sometimes things are done in various situations/ circumstances/experiences that don't make sense so it wouldn't matter if you thought it through or not.

Again, it was a simple question that has been answered.

Thanks :)

I do feel better now that so many adults have had trouble opening the door!!

This isn't my first cruise, my 5th actually, but it is my first with my kids.

Please don't hear me wrong, I am not trying to get any special treatment or anything just because I have kids, but I was just trying to verify what I heard from someone today who had been on a cruise with a large group of people, along with toddlers, and they were able to board early because of that.

I would rather chat about it here and verify before I get there and ask.

I was planning on getting there for the 10:30-12:00 window because I wanted to sit down with the kids and get lunch.

I just did also. I know what you mean with the price reduction being so annoying... we had an oceanview and I wanted to switch to 2 promenade rooms, which would have been about $700 cheaper!! They considered that a "downgrade" because it is a lower revenue generating room, even though they would still be keeping the full $2300 I paid for the one room... didn't make a whole lot of sense to me since they would actually be making money off that room.

Anyway, we "upgraded" to a deluxe ocean view with a balcony and paid the $180 difference after final payment had already been made.

This is a cruise ship, not an airline.......

I'm only asking just so I know ;) I want to know what's allowed/available upon request or available and not know it until you ask.

Just like the good 'ole saying - "you never know til you ask!"

We love staying on board at the ports we don't care for (most notably Nassau and anywhere in Jamaica). There's abundant seating right around the pool, the pool is sparsely populated, and the ship is nice and quiet. Perfect conditions for some inexpensive relaxation!

The unoccupied pool would be awesome, so maybe my kids will enjoy the pool as much (or over) the beach

It seems that the closer we get to sail date, the more questions i have, so I apologize that you keep seeing my name pop up ;)

I have heard that if you are traveling with toddlers, you are allowed to board the ship sooner...? Someone mentioned to me on cruises they have been on and have had small children with them, that they asked when they checked in if they could board earlier at check-in because of toddlers they had and they were allowed to... anyone else done this?

i gained 7 lbs during a week on the first cruise I went on... :eek:

I didn't keep track on the cruises after that.. LOL

I am bound and determined though to not gain on this next cruise in 2 weeks!

Do both! When we were on Oasis a few years back we came back early after a few hours in Nassau. My daughter and I had the flow rider two ourselves for almost an hour. We were so tired after going so many times in a row. It was a blast.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

and we will probably end up doing the same also. what we have done in the past and it was just the two of us has been to get off for a while and either come back for lunch or dinner and not stay the whole time; I imagine with what everybody has been posting about how much the beach day at Labadee has changed that we may not be staying long there either :confused:

You'll have to check your cruise compass to see what's open.

 

Your kids are too little for the flow rider, but that was blocked off for private lessons for at least one of our port days. As already noted, ice skating times are limited, more so than the flow rider and climbing wall.

 

 

 

 

We found the climbing wall had long lines our first sea day, but not our second. Our kids did multiple turns with little to no wait.

Unfortunately, this I know... :( He will, however, want to watch my husband attempt it!

Unfortunately, when I look at the excursions available for my sailing, the dolphin combo isn't one of the options... only the dolphin trek, and my kids aren't old enough for the minimum req't. But this excursion you linked to is the exact one my husband and I did several years ago.

Before I booked this cruise, I had really hoped Falmouth had the dolphin excursion or encounter because I know my kids would LOVE that! The first cruise we went on 7 yrs ago was to Ocho Rios and we did it then. However, it seems there is nothing fun for the littles like that in Falmouth... :(

Not all of these activities will be open/available all day when the ship is in port.

 

Some will have shorter hours or no open hours during port time.

 

Skating times are relatively restricted anyway, so you will have to consult your Cruise Compass for that information.

 

Bottom line: I never find the ship crowded, but in port, it will definitely have very few passengers on board.

awesome! i had heard that there's not much to do in falmouth (am i wrong?) with little ones and i don't want to take the hour bus ride to ocho rios (which is what i believe i have read it was), so i'm not sure what there is to do in that port aside from shopping...

The doors are heavy plus when the ship is moving, there is more of a suction effect that makes the door harder to open. If you want to see a wind tunnel, open your balcony door when the cabin door is open to the hallway.:eek:

 

I wish the search function was working because there are some great threads about kids on balconies in the family forum. There are lots of pictures showing kids on balconies to give you an idea of how high the top will be above your son's head.

ooo thanks! i may try to keep searching to see if it will come up! i have heard that about the wind tunnel..

I'm not sure how much time we will be spending in the Falmouth and Labadee ports, but we wanted to look at some of that time to take advantage of the usual crowded spots on the ship (flo rider, ice skating, rock climbing, etc.). Have you found it to be still just as crowded in port days?

oh and FYI - most of this would be for the 2 littles we have with us, 7 and 3 yr old.

What ship are you going on. On the Allure the handle is not the child lock. There is a lock high up on the back of the sliding door. Someone posted a picture a while back.

I will be on the Liberty. From what everybody is saying, it sounds like the doors are heavy and not easily opened by little ones.

thanks for all the info! i'm sure it will be fine :)

Just curious, are you worried about your 3 year jumping ship while out exploring the rest of the ship?

 

I would think there would be a higher chance of falling off the side of the ship then on your personal balcony. The rooms are small. I can't imagine you would be able to have your eyes away from them long enough to get the door open, slide the chair over to the railing, climb up the chair and then jump over.

LOL... No, but my son is so different from my daughter, that I guess I am just overprotective of her because she's so much more fearless than my son. My husband isn't worried about it at all.

I guess i just want to take all the precautions I can (within reason). But the bars aren't a bad idea ;)

and I'm sure once we are on board, there will be nothing for me to worry about and I'm sure I will realize i'm overreacting.

We also have a 3 year old and a balcony and I want to throw up at the thought. We also have an interior room so I'm hoping she will spend most of her time in the interior room. I can't tell how the door opens but I wonder if we can bring our own child door lock to place on the door. And yes, thinking of throwing the chairs and table overboard as well :)

oh and also a great point about your own lock. what type were you thinking?

If I had your concerns I would never have gotten a balcony cabin........Better safe than sorry.......

And I agree, but the hubby has always wanted one and I am a bit overprotective when it comes to her anyway, just because of her adventurous personality. We won't be in the room that much anyway, so I'm sure it will be fine. I'm probably just worrying too much when I should just focus on enjoying it :)

we also have a 3 year old and a balcony and i want to throw up at the thought. We also have an interior room so i'm hoping she will spend most of her time in the interior room. I can't tell how the door opens but i wonder if we can bring our own child door lock to place on the door. And yes, thinking of throwing the chairs and table overboard as well :)

yes!!!!

thanks for all the replies - i feel a little better about the lock now :)

(i'm thinking of throwing those lounge chairs overboard though so there is NO CLIMBING!) Obviously, we watch our kids, but like you said, never underestimate a 3 yr old!

On our last cruise on Allure of the Seas, we were in a Boardwalk balcony room. The balcony door there had a lock on the top part of the frame of the sliding door that would be out of reach of children but accessible to adults (well, tall enough ones) in the cabin.

ok good! this whole balcony thing is making me nervous with chairs out there and my 3 yr old who is "very adventurous."